Show counter or display case



May 16, 1939. B. HAGELIN El AL SHOW COUNTER OR DISPLAY CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 29, 1956 M K W a 55 l7 2 fa rp ey May 16, 1939. B. HAGELIN ET AL SHOW COUNTER 0R DISPLAY CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 29. 1936 Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOW COUNTER OR DISPLAY CASE Boris Hagelin and Birger Kock, Stockholm,-.

Sweden Application December 29, 1936, Serial No. 118,146 In Sweden December 31, 1935 6 Claims. (Cl. 240- 6) This invention relates to a show counter or part of the tubes does not emit any heat, or at display. case, the walls of which are made heatleast only an insignificant amount thereof. There insulating against the surrounding medium and is, however, a certain heating effect caused at the the interior of which is visible from the outside electrodes which has to be carried off if the inthrough one or more windows provided in one or terior of the counter has to remain at a low tem- 5 more of the walls and illuminated by means of a perature. Co-extensive discharge tubes of various lighting arrangement disposed in 2. preferably colour effects may be used, e. g. for producing solongitudinally extending opening in one or more Called day-light illumination. The ends l4 and of the walls. l5 of the tube are bent at right angles and in- The invention consists substantially therein sorted into sheet metal boxes or compartments 10 that. the lighting arrangement consists of one or l6 and I1. These are .fitted into corresponding more discharge tubes, e. g. of the neon type, exrecesses I8 in the ends is and 20 of the counter, tending along said opening. which ends entirely or partly consist of an in- The invention is hereinafter fully described, sulating layer 29, e. g. of cork or cork-stone. Said reference being made to the accompanying drawrecesses are bordered inwardly, for instance, by 15 ings illustrating by way of example an embodifibre-plates 2|. Also the outside of the recesses ment of the invention. In the drawings: may consist of fibre-plates 22. In order to obtain Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the arrangement thermal communication with the surroundings, of the counter plate with the lighting arrangesaid plates may be provided with ventilating ment being shown in a lifted-up position. openings 23 and a circulation opening, such as a 20 Fig. 2 is a partial cross-section of the counter vertical duct 24, through which latter the e1ectriclose to the upper front edge with parts separated cal connections of the tube electrodes 25 may be as in Fig. 1. drawn. This will secure the removal of the heat Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section close to the top generated in the tube ends. 25 of one of the ends of the counter. For the same purpose, according to Fig. 4, the 25 Fig. 4 is a modified detail of Fig. 3. plate 25 may be provided also wit-h a lateral The counter comprises a lower box-shaped poropening 21 covered by a plate 26 of heat contion I on which the plate 2 is placed, the latter ducting mate ial, 8. g. Sheet metal, for dissiserving as a counter for customers service and pating heat from the ends of the tube. This plate,

30 for demonstration purposes. In its preferred too, may be provided with a ventilating opening 30 form, the front wall of the counter is slightly 28. sloping and provided with double panes 3 and 4. If desired, the wall 22 may be entirely of sheet The top 5 of the box-shaped portion is preferably metal in which case heat can be conducted from made of heat insulating material, e. g. wood, the interior of the chamber l8 through the metal.

5 cork-stone, or the like, in which is provided an It has been proved in practice that the heat opening 6, preferably extending longitudinally eliminating devices mentioned are adequate and having grooves 1 and 8. On its one side the mainly for the reason that in the discharge tubes, opening 6 may be bordered by the frame of the such as the neon-tubes, the development of heat glass plates 3 and 4 forming an edge 9. If detakes place substantially only at the electrodes.

40 sired, the width of the opening 6 may be such The tube l3 and/or the sheet metal box I6 may 40 that the opposite side of the opening is bordered be attached directly to the part II as shown in by a corresponding edge of the rear wall. Fig. 3, so that when the latter is lifted the dis- In the opening 6 is inserted an inset l0 compris c arge tube l3 and/or the box 5 will be raised ing a wood plate or panel ll adapted to fit in the simultaneously which facilitates the upkeep or grooves 1 and 8. The underside of the plate is r p o t lighting deVice- 4" hollow and provided with a longitudinal refiect- As shown on the drawings the opening 6 passes ing surface l2. At a distance from the reflector through only the upper wall 5 of the box shaped l2, determined by optical requirements, there is p t on ut not through e plate 2 making t disposed a discharge tube 13. This discharge possible to have the surface of the latter plane tube may be of the type having a filling of rareall over. 50 fied gas, such as neon, helium, argon, and/or In the drawings the ends of the electrodes are other noble gases, through which a luminous shown bent at right angles and turned vertically electrical discharge is passed when a direct or downwards. Discharge tubes, which have their alternating voltage is impressed across the elecends bent at right angles to the luminous portrodes disposed at the tube ends. The luminous tions of the tubes, can be mounted in various ways in the display case, with the ends directed at any convenient angle to the horizontal. The

structure of the display case determines. to a large extent, the best method of mounting these tubes. It is also evident that discharge tubes of various shapes may be employed without departing from the purview of this invention.

In the embodiment above described the opening into the display case takes up only a comparatively narrow longitudinal zone at the top of the case. However, it is also evident that this opening may be extended transversely, as desired, in order to adapt this invention to display counters of various special types.

We wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the exact details of con-- struction shown and described, since obviousmodiflcations will occur to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. An illuminated show counter or display case comprising walls forming a box-like structure and having a transparent section provided in said walls, at least one gaseous discharge tube,

- having a luminous portion between electrodecarrying end portions which radiate relatively more heat than the said luminous portion, mounted in said box-like structure, the luminous portion of said discharge tube being in optical communicatio with the interior of said box-like structure without being substantially heat insulated from said interior, and heat-insulated compartments surrounding the ends of said discharge tube for shielding the interior of said box like structure from the heat radiated from said ends only, said compartments being mounted within the confines of said box like structure, and means for dissipating the heat from said compartments. 1

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the said heat insulating compartments are ventilated in order to dissipate heat radiated from said ends.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the said compartments are heat insulated from the interior of said box-like structure but are in heat conducting relationship with the exterior of said structure.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein a longitudinal opening is provided across the top of said box-like structure, wherein the said aseous discharge tube is mounted on a panel adapted to close said opening flush with the said top and wherein a slab is provided across the top of said box-like structure covering said panel and said top.

5. An illuminated and heat-insulated show counter or display case comprising heat insulating side and end walls forming a box-like structure and having a transparent section providing visibility, a gaseous discharge tube, having a luminous portion between electrode-carrying end portions which radiate relatively more heat than the said luminous portion, mounted in said boxlike structure and providing illumination therefor, the said luminous portion of said discharge tube being in optical communication with the interior of said box-like structure, the end portions of said discharge tube being bent at an angle to said luminous portion and mounted in such fashion as to extend parallel to the end walls of said'box like structure, said end portions being mounted in heat-insulated compartments mounted within the confines of said box-like structure and adapted to heat-insulate said end portions from the interior of said box-like structure, and means for dissipating the heat from said compartments.

6. An illuminated and heat-insulated show counter or display case comprising heat insulating side and end walls forming a box-like structure and having a transparent section providing visibility, an elongated opening provided in said box-like structure, a panel adapted to close said opening and a gaseous discharge tube providing illumination for the interior of said box-like structure, having a luminous portion between electrode-carrying end portions which radiate relatively more heat than the said luminous portion, said discharge tube being so mounted as to be removable through said opening and with its electrode-carrying ends covered with heat insulating compartments mounted within the end walls and adapted to insulate said ends from the interior of said box-like structure, the luminous portion of said discharge tube being in optical communication with the interior of said box-like structure, and means for dissipating the heat from said compartments.

BORIS HAGELIN. BIRGER KOCK. 

